lump

1
[ luhmp ]
See synonyms for: lumplumps on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a piece or mass of solid matter without regular shape or of no particular shape: a lump of coal.

  2. a protuberance or swelling: a blow that raised a lump on his head.

  1. an aggregation, collection, or mass; clump: All the articles were piled in a great lump.

  2. Also called lump of sugar . a small block of granulated sugar, designed for sweetening hot coffee, tea, etc.: How many lumps do you take in your coffee?

  3. the greater part or number; a large number: The great lump of voters are still undecided.

  4. lumps, Informal. harsh criticism, punishment, or defeat: The new theory came in for some lumps when other scholars heard of it.

  5. Informal. a heavy, clumsy, and usually stupid person.

adjective
  1. in the form of a lump or lumps: lump sugar.

  2. made up of a number of items taken together; not separated or considered separately: The debts were paid in one lump sum.

verb (used with object)
  1. to unite into one aggregation, collection, or mass (often followed by together): We lumped the reds and blues together.

  2. to deal with, handle, consider, etc., in the lump or mass: to lump unrelated matters indiscriminately.

  1. to make into a lump or lumps: to lump dough before shaping it into loaves.

  2. to raise into or cover with lumps: a plow lumping the moist earth.

verb (used without object)
  1. to form or raise a lump or lumps: Stir the gravy so that it doesn't lump.

  2. to move heavily and awkwardly: The big oaf lumped along beside me.

Idioms about lump

  1. get / take one's lumps, to receive or endure hardship, punishment, criticism, etc.: Without its star pitcher, the baseball team will get its lumps today.

Origin of lump

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English lumpe, lomp(e); cognate with early Dutch lompe “piece,” Danish lump(e) “lump,” dialectal Norwegian lump “block”

Other words from lump

  • lump·ing·ly, adverb

Words Nearby lump

Other definitions for lump (2 of 2)

lump2
[ luhmp ]

verb (used with object)Informal.
  1. to put up with; resign oneself to; accept and endure: If you don't like it, you can lump it.

Origin of lump

2
An Americanism dating back to 1785–95; perhaps identical with British dialect lump “to look sullen”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lump in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lump (1 of 2)

lump1

/ (lʌmp) /


noun
  1. a small solid mass without definite shape

  2. pathol any small swelling or tumour

  1. a collection of things; aggregate

  2. informal an awkward, heavy, or stupid person

  3. (plural) US informal punishment, defeat, or reverses: he took his lumps

  4. the lump British

    • self-employed workers in the building trade considered collectively, esp with reference to tax and national insurance evasion

    • (as modifier): lump labour

  5. (modifier) in the form of a lump or lumps: lump sugar

  6. a lump in one's throat a tight dry feeling in one's throat, usually caused by great emotion

verb
  1. (tr often foll by together) to collect into a mass or group

  2. (intr) to grow into lumps or become lumpy

  1. (tr) to consider as a single group, often without justification

  2. (tr) to make or cause lumps in or on

  3. (intr often foll by along) to move or proceed in a heavy manner

Origin of lump

1
C13: probably related to early Dutch lompe piece, Scandinavian dialect lump block, Middle High German lumpe rag

British Dictionary definitions for lump (2 of 2)

lump2

/ (lʌmp) /


verb
  1. (tr) informal to tolerate or put up with; endure (in the phrase lump it)

Origin of lump

2
C16: origin uncertain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with lump

lump

In addition to the idiom beginning with lump

  • lump in one's throat

also see:

  • like it or lump it

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.